I Categorically Deny

Chapter 5

Third Person POV

Both Mean and Plan noticed that the audience could tell that something was not right between them. Some of the fans started whispering to each other.

Plan thought that he better do something quick. He did not want his manager scolding him after the fan meeting for disappointing the fans.

Plan moved toward Mean, not too close, just close enough for him to hear Plan's whispered "Whether we like it or not we have to show some fan service to the audience or our managers will be on our case for the rest of the evening."

"I agree," Mean whispered back but did not make a move to do any skinship with Plan. So Plan had to initiate the skinship.

He turned to Mean and hugged him awkwardly. Mean kept his arms hanging on his sides and turned his face away from Plan and kept it towards the audience, a fake smile plastered on his face.

Thankfully the fans were getting distracted by the crazy antics of Perth and Saint. The audience shrieked with delight as Perth kept on giving air kisses to Saint. Saint wrapped his arm around Perth's shoulder and said into his microphone, "Should we tell the audience, Perth? Should we tell the audience?"

The audience went wild. "What will you tell us? Come on, tell us! Tell us!"

Perth was grinning from ear to ear but was shaking his head and shaking an index finger at the audience.

"Another time!" Perth said into his own mic. "Come to our next fan meeting and we will tell you!"

The audience groaned in disappointment.

Seriously this kid, Plan told himself. This kid would eventually become a really shrewd and successful businessman.

Plan decided that this awkwardness between him and Mean could not go on forever. He had to do something. He had to confront Mean and reach a compromise with him.

After the fan meeting, Plan approached Mean and said to him, "We need to talk."

Mean's POV

I braced myself as I made my way to P'Plan's car.

I had earlier said my good bye to my manager after I agreed to meet with P'Plan and have the talk that he asked for.

P'Plan was already standing beside his car, waiting for me to approach.

Before he could say anything, I said to him, "Look whatever you have in your mind, you got it all wrong, dude. I was drunk as fuck the other night and was missing my ex-girlfriend because yesterday was her birthday and I could not even greet her because her current boyfriend is very jealous and possessive."

I was of course just making everything up, in my desperate attempt to deny my feelings to P'Plan.

P'Plan's eyes widened for a second, and then all his tense features relaxed in great relief.

"You goddamn son of a bitch!" he exclaimed, giving me buddy hug, "you got me pretty worried for a while. I almost had to tell you to go see a shrink."

We both laughed together. I was of course crying behind my laughter but I made sure he couldn't see.

"So we're good?" I asked, holding out my hand to shake it.

He did not take my hand. He pulled me close to him and gave me a tight hug which only served to twist the bitter arrow that was piercing my helpless heart.

"We're definitely good," he said with a huge grin.

"Have a nice evening, buddy," I said as I walked away.

"You do the same, pal," he said as he climbed into his car.

I bumped into someone as I made my way to my own car. I had not seen the stranger in my path because my vision had gotten blurry because of the tears that I finally allowed to flow, now that I was out of P'Plan's sight.

I wondered how I would be able to cope with my misery in the coming days.